Cutting die for ornamenting parts of shoe uppers



Sept. 8, 1942.

c. s. KNIGHT CUTTING DIE FOR ORNAMENTING PARTS OF SHOE UPPERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 26, 1941 INVENTQR my ATTORNEK Sept. 8, 1942.

CUTTING DIE FOR ORNAMENTING PARTS OF SHOE UPPERS Filed Feb. 26, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR I 6 ATTORNEY. g

c. s. KNlGHT 2,295,089

p c. s. KNIGHT 2,295,089

CUTTING DIE FOR ORNAMENTING PARTS OF SHOE UPPERS Filed Feb. 26, 1941 '4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR A m .sx

6 'ATTORNEY; z

Sept. 8,1942. c. s. KNIGHT CUTTING DIE FOR ORNAMENTING PARTS OF SHOE UPPERS Filed Feb. 26, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR fllja 57 Patented Sept. 8, 1.942

OFFICE CUTTDJG DIE FOR ORNAMENTING PARTS OF SHOE UPPERS Application Fehrnary 26, 1941, Serial No. 380,620

19 Claims.

This invention relates to dies for ornamenting leather and similar materials and is more especially concerned with dies of this type designed for pinking, marking, perforating, or otherwise cutting parts of the uppers of shoes, or similarly shaped pieces of stock, in ,which essentially the same problems are presented. Since the problems with which this invention is concerned arise most frequently in connection with the operations of ornamenting the marginal portions of the wing tips, Vamps, and foxings of shoe uppers, the invention will be herein disclosed in connection with dies designed for this purpose. It will be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to these specific uses.

It is a common practice to ornament the edges of the throat portions of a vamp or the exposed edges of a wing tip, straight ti or foxing by pinking or trimming the extreme edges and perforating the adjacent margins. In connection with the operation of stitching the parts of the upper so ornamented to adjoining sections of the upper, it is often found desirable to provide more space between the perforations and the pinked edges in some cases than in others. For example, in some instances a single line of stitching only is used, while in others double lines of stitching are run in, or the thread used in one case may be very much heavier and coarser than in another. been made heretofore with the pinking or knife sections separate from the perforating sections, and provision has been made for adjusting the relationship of these sections so as to vary the spacing between the cut edges and the lines of perforations. In these prior constructions, however, it has been necessary to take the die apart in order to make these adjustments or to loosen screws and make the desired adjustments by hand.

The present invention is especially concerned with these considerations, and it aims to obviate the necessity for taking the die apart in order to make adjustments of the character just re ferred to, and to provide means for making this adjustment quickly and with a minimum of time and trouble. It is also an object of the invention to devise means for accomplishing this result in such a manner that the workman can make a finely graded adjustment between the cutting edges and the perforating tubes, and can adjust the parts in any one of a considerable variety cf selected relationships.

The nature of the invention will be readily For this reason dies have understood from the following description when 55 read in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a wing tip die structure embodying features of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, sectional view through a central portion of the die shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the parts of the center section of the die shown in Fig. 1, illustrating these parts separated from each other and removed from the die assembly;

Fig. 4 is an exploded view of one of the adjusting devices used in the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the eccentric element of this adjusting device;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of an adjustable vamp die constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 7 is an exploded view of the parts of the center section of said die;

Fig. 8 is a side view, with parts in section, showing the adjusting device used in the die illustrated in Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the eccentric stud forming one element of the device shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of a fcxing die embodying features of this invention;

Fig. 11 is a perspective View of one of the eccentric studs used in the die shown in Fig. 10; and

Fig. 12 is a view of a shoe including upper parts of a character with which this invention is section carrying the perforating tubes and a knife section carrying the pinking knife or cutter. In Fig. 3 the perforating section for the central portion A of the die is shown at 2 and the knife section at 3. Normally the knife section rests directly on the perforated section, as

shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and both are removably supported on a die plate or base t. In this instance the perforating section is positioned by two pins 5 and 6, Fig. 1, both fixed in the base 4 and projecting through slots I and 8 in the plate of the perforating section and also through holes 9 and I9, respectively, in the plate of the knife section 3. So far as these features are concerned, the construction here shown is essentially like those heretofore used except that in prior constructions the slots 1 and 8 have been replaced by round holes to fit the pins and 6.

This invention provides an adjusting means for the perforating plate comprising a stud l2, Fig. 4, having an eccentric portion l3 which projects into a slot l4 formed in the plate of the perforating section at right angles to the slots '1 and 8. This stud is mounted in the base 4 for rotation around its own axis, and partly for this purpose and partly, also, to provide a convenient means for holding it in any one of various positions of rotary adjustment, the stud is supported in a bushing l5 which is pressed tightly into a hole in the base. A spring l5 encircles the stud l2 and holds the disk portion ll of this member down tightly against the upper radially toothed surface 18 of the bushing, the spring being backed up by a screw 28 threaded into the bore of the stud. The upper end of the eccentric member [3 of the stud is slotted to receive a screw driver, as shown in Fig. 1.

Bearing in mind the fact that the perforating secton 2 is guided by the pins 5 and 6 entering the slots 1 and 8 for forward and backward movement, it will be evident from an inspection of Fig. 1 that if the stud I3 is turned in either a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction, the perforating section will be moved backward or for:- ward, thus either reducing or increasing the space between the perforating tubes of the section 2 and the pinking knife of the section 3. Nos. I and 2, as shown in Fig. 1, may conveniently be associated with graduation marks to cooperate with the slot in the head of the eccentric pin 13 to determine when the screw is in either of its two most commonly used positions. The upper section 3 has a hole 2| therethrough to alford access to the eccentric pin l3.

It should be noted that while this adjustment is being made, the knife section is held stationary by the pins 5 and 6 and that this adjustment is made while .both sections remain in their normal and operative positions.

For the purpose of adjusting the right-hand wing section B, Fig. 1, a similar arrangement is used. In this particular die the knife sections B and B for the two wings are made integral from a single piece of metal, and when the latch 22 is swung out of engagement with the locking stud 23, which projects from the lower side of the knife section, this whole knife plate can be lifted out of the die assembly. Normally, however, it rests in the position shown in Fig. 1, and it is centered by the pins 26 and 26 which project through the plate.

The tube plate 25 for the section B is separated from the knife plate, it has the outline indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, and it merely rests on the base 4 with the knif section overlapping it. For the purpose of adjusting it relatively to its .cooperating knife section, two rotary adjusting devices like those shown in Figs. 2 and 4 are mounted in the base plate, the eccentric studs l3l3 for these elements projecting through holes cc in the portion B of the knife plate. These studs work in slots d-d in the plate of the tube section 25 so that by turning these studs in either direction the tube section 25 will be moved closer to, or farther from, its cooperating pinking knife section. A pin 26 fixed in the base 4 and projecting upwardly through a slot e in the plate portion of the section 25 guides this adjusting movement in the desired direction. In other words, this pin and slot connection prevents movement of the plate in directions parallel to the slots d, or in a direction approximating such parallel motion.

The same construction is used to adjust the perforating section of the other wing B and the parts corresponding to those just described are referred to .by the same, :but primed, reference characters.

It will thus .be evident that the adjustment of all three tube sections of the die shown in Fig. 1 can be made quickly and accurately without disturbing their cooperating knife sections. Consequently any necessity for taking the die apart is eliminated. At the same time the normal handling of the work and the usual method of using the die are not interfered with in any way. Spring pressed positioning pins 24 mounted in the base in the usual manner project through holes in the die sections and serve to gage the position of the work, the holes in the perforating die section being sufliciently larger than the pins to avoid any interference with the adjusting movements above referred to. These pins also assist in retaining the knife section in its operative position and they may, if desired, be used for this purpose to the exclusion of other such means.

The medallion tube section 0, as shown in Fig. 1, is like that customarily used in perforating wing tip dies and requires no modification for the purposes of this invention.

Fig. 6 shows a vamp die adapted, for example, to ornament the edge of the vamp b of the shoe shown in Fig. 12, and this die includes adjustments similar to those illustrated in the figures above described. In the latter construction this die includes a "center section D cooperating with- 28, the former overlapping and lying upon the latter and both supported on the base 4'. The knife section 21 normally is held in place by a pivoted latch 30. The usual spring pressed work positioning pins 3|, supported in the base, project through both sections. Two rotary eccentric adjusting devices like those shown in Fig. 4 are positioned in the base to engage the plate portion of the tube section 28 near opposite ends thereof in the same manner that they cooperate with the tube section 25 of the construction shown in Fig. 1. The eccentric adjusting pins of these devices are shown at l3l3, Fig. 6, and

they are operable to adjust the tube section 28 relatively to the knife section 21 exactly as in the construction above described. In this case, however, the bushing of the lowermost positioning pin 3la engages the parallel walls of the slot 1 in the plate of the section 28 to guide the adjusting movement in the desired direction. The other positioning pins 3| pass through holes made sufficiently larger than the pins themselves so that the latter do not interfere with the adjusting movement of the tube section.

The same arrangement is duplicated at the opposite side of the die for use in making similar adjustments of the perforating section of the wing E.

The center section D of this die differs very materially, however, from-that shown in Fig. 1.

In latter die all three sections A, B and B remain in one position for all, or at least a substantial range, of sizes, on any one style of shoe. In other words, the center section usually is not removed and interchanged for various sizes of any style but, on the contrary, is changed only when the style of the shoe requires such change. In the vamp die shown in Fig. 6, however, the center sections are interchangeable for sizes and, in addition, the adjustment of the perforating tubes relatively to the pinking knife must be made somewhat differently because of the difference in shape of this center section as compared to that of the wing tip die. Moreover, it is desirable that the parts of the center die D shall be held together so that they can be removed from the die assembly or replaced therein as a unit.

For these reasons the center die D is composed of a knife section 32 and two perforating sections 33 and 33, respectively, all as best shown in Fig. '7. It will be seen from an inspection of Fig. 6 that the joint between the central section and the two wings is in approximately parallel portions of the pinking knife, considering it as a whole, and that if the perforating sections 28 and 23 are adjusted laterally away from each other for any substantial distance, a corresponding adjustment of the perforating sections of the center die also should be made in order to maintain the proper alignment of the tubes of one section with those of an adjoining section. It is for this reason that th perforating plates of the center section D are made in two pieces, and for the same reason their adjusting movement includes both a forward and lateral component. ihese sections are designed to meet at the line g, Fig. 5, when they are adjusted inwardly to the limit of their relative movement and an adjustment in the opposite direction widens the gap at the point g.

For these reasons the sections 33 and 34 are provided with two slots in and h, respectively, intended to overlap when the sections are assembled, and at their rearward ends they have similar slots 7 and 7". Front and rear pins 35 and 36, respectively, anchored in the plate 32, pass through these respective pairs of slots when these cutting sections 33 and 33 are properly overlapped as shown in Fig. 6. In addition, both the plates .33 and 35 are provided with inclined slots 31 and 38 likewise disposed in oppositely inclined diagonal directions and adapted to receive, re-

spectively, the eccentric elements 39 and til, Fig. 8, of an adjusting stud much like that shown in Fig. 4 but provided with two eccentrics instead of one. It also has a disk-like head 4| which fits snugly in an aperture provided for it in the plate of the knife section 32. The head has arms d2 i2 projecting from opposite ends thereof and normally lying upon the surface of the plate 32. A spring 43 encircles the eccentric element 39 and is backed up by a washer and a screw 44 so that when these parts are in their normal positions the spring cooperates with the lugs 42- 42 to hold the parts 32, 33 and 34 yieldingly clamped together. While the parts are so held together and thus cooperate to form the center die D they can be removed from, or replaced in, the die assembly as a unit. The unit is centered in its operative position by the pins 35 and 36 projecting into holes in the base.

It will be evident from what has been said before, that if the head 4! of the eccentric adjusting stud is rotated in either direction away from the position shown in Fig. '6, the perforating sections 33 and 34 will either be moved forwardly and outwardly, or back-wardly and inwardly toward each other, depending upon the direction of this rotative movement. Both these sections are guided during this adjustment by the pins 35 and 36 operating on the crossed slots h, h and 7', a" of the sections 33 and 34. Preferably the knife section 32 is radially grooved as shown at m, Fig. 7, to cooperate with a V-shaped surface formed on the lower side of one of the lugs 42 to lock the stud in any position of adjustment. The other lug acts as an indicator to cooperate with the numbered positions I and 2, Fig. 6, to indicate to the operator the normal limits of adjustment. This arrangement enables him to make a finely graduated relative adjustment of the parts or, in other words, toadjust them into any one of a series of relationships. By noting the position of the indicating lug he can return the parts to that same adjusted position after having made a different adjustment with assurance that the line of perforating tubes and the knife are again restored to exactly the same relationship in which they were before.

If it is desired to disassemble the parts for any reason, it is merely necessary to move the eccentric adjusting stud sufficiently to bring the lugs 42 i2 into register with the notches nn, Fig. 7, at which time the knife section 32 can be lifted over the head 4i and all three parts can be separated from each other, as shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 shows the same general idea applied to a die for pinking and perforating the exposed edge of a foxing Fig. 12. This die includes two sections, indicated in generalat F and G. The former has a knife section 45 and a perforating or tube section '56, while the latter has corresponding knife and tube sections 41 and 58, respectively. Spring pressed positioning pins 50 are associated with both of them in the usual manner for assistance in properly gaging the work. Usually two of these foxing sections are stitched to the heel portion of the quarter, the edges of the two sections being abutted against each other at the back seam. For this reason the die of Fig. 10 includes only one section corresponding to a wing of either of the dies shown in Figs. 1 and 6 and another section corresponding to half of a center section of either of said dies.

An eccentric adjusting device like that shown at E3 in Fig. 4 cooperates with the perforating section 36 to adjust it relatively to the die section, the direction of such adjusting movement being controlled by pins 5i5l working in slots in the plate of the tube section 43. A similar arrangement cooperates with the members 41 and so of the section G, but the eccentric adjusting stud 52 is made like the stud ll, Figs. 8 and 9, except that the eccentric element 43 is omitted. A spring and screw like those shown at 43 and 4d "cooperate with the part 52 to secure the sections t7 and s3 releasably to each other so that this assembly may be removed from the die structure as a unit and replaced by another one like it, but adapted to cooperate with the section F to operate on a foxing of a different shape required, for example, for a different size of shoe.

It will be evident from the foregoing that the invention provides an extraordinarily convenient method of making the relative adjustment of die sections to each other required for various reasons while the adjusted parts remain in their normal and operative positions and in their cooperative relationship to each other. relative adjustments of the tube and knife plates All the required on such dies as those shown in Figs. 1 and 6 thus can be made in a few seconds time and the die then is ready for operation on a vamp, wing tip or foXing requiring a different stitch spacing. And these adjustments require no removal or replacement of any part of the idle.

While I have herein shown and described typical embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of the construction shown and that it may be embodied in dies designed for operating on other parts of leather or similar sheet materials.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim as new is:

1. A die structure for use in ornamenting portions of shoe uppers comprising two cutting sections, one overlapped upon the other, a base on which said sections are supported, and means operable to adjust one relatively to the other while they remain in cooperative relationship to each other.

2. A die structure for use in ornamenting portions of shoe uppers comprising two perforating sections, a knife section overlapped upon both said perforating sections and cooperating with them in ornamenting the work, and means operable to adjust the relative positions of all three of said .parts while they remain in cooperative relationship to each other.

3. A die structure for use in ornamenting portions of shoe uppers comprising two perforating sections, a knife section overlapped upon both said perforating sections and cooperating with them in ornamenting the work, a rotary device operable to adjust the relative positions of all three of said parts, said device comprising a stud rotatable about its own axis, and means cooperating with said stud to hold all of said sections together in cooperative relationship to each other during said adjusting movement and for removal as a unit from or replacement in a die assembly.

4. A die structure for use in ornamenting shoe vamps, wing tips, or the like, comprising two wing sections mounted one on top of the other, a base on which said sections are supported, and two adjusting devices positioned near the opposite ends of said sections and operable to adjust one of them relatively to the other while both remain in cooperative relationship to each other, and a guide cooperating with said devices to control the direction of said adjusting movement.

5. A die structure for use in ornamenting shoe Vamps, wing tips, or the like, comprising two wing sections mounted one on top of the other, a base on which said sections are supported, positioning pins projecting through both of said sections, and a rotary adjusting element mounted in said base and engaging one of said elements to adjust it relatively to the other.

6. A die structure for use in ornamenting shoe Vamps, wing tips, or the like, comprising two wing sections mounted one on top of the other, a base on which said sections are supported, two rotary studs mounted in said base and engaging one of said sections near opposite ends thereof and operable to adjust the latter section relative- 1y to the other, positioning pins projecting through both of said sections, said pins being so cleared with reference to the latter section as to permit said adjusting movement While the sections remain in their normal and operative positions.

- 7. A, die structure for use in ornamenting portions of shoe uppers comprising a knife section for trimming the extreme edge of a portion of a workpiece, a perforating section for operating on the margin of said work piece along and closely adjacent to said edge, a base on which said sections are supported in cooperative relationship to each other, and means operable to adjust the space relationship between the perforating elements and the knife of said sections to each other while the sections remain in their normal and operative positions.

8. A die structure for use in ornamenting portions of shoe uppers comprising a knife section for trimming the extreme edge of a portion of a work piece, a perforating section for operating on the margin of said work piece along and closely adjacent to said edge, a base on which said sections are supported in cooperative relationship to each other, and means including a rotary adjusting device operable to adjust the work cutting portion of one of said sections toward and from that of the other while the sections remain in cooperative relationship to each other.

9. A die structure for use in ornamenting portions of shoe uppers comprising a base, a perforating section supported on said base and provided with a row of perforating tubes to ornament the marginal portion of a work piece, a knife section provided with a cutting edge extending along and closely beside said row of perforating tubes in position to trim an edge on said work piece closely beside the margin so perforated, means operable to adjust one of said sections to change the spacing between the work cutting portions of the sections, parts cooperating with the latter section to control the direction of the adjusting movement, and means holding the other section in its operative position while said adjusting movement takes place.

10. A die structure for use in ornamenting portions of shoe uppers comprising a base, a perforating section supported on said base and provided with a row of perforating tubes to ornament the marginal portion of a work piece, a knife section provided with a cutting edge extending along and closely beside said row of perforating tubes in position to trim an edge on said work piece closely beside the margin so perforated, means operable to adjust one of said sections to change the spacing between the work cutting portions of the sections, and work positioning pins supported in said base and projecting through the other section.

11. A die structure for use in ornamenting portions of shoe uppers comprising a perforating section provided with a line of tubes for ornamenting the marginal portion of a work piece, another section provided with a knife extending along and closely beside said line of perforating tubes, a base on which said sections are supported :for relative adjustment in cooperative relationship to each other, a rotary adjusting element mounted in said base and operable on one of said sections to adjust it to change the spacing between said knife and said row of perforating tubes, the latter section having a slot therein and a pin fixed in the base and projecting into said slot to guide the latter section during its adjusting movement.

12. A die structure for use in ornamenting portions of shoe uppers comprising two cutting sections, one overlapped upon the other, a :base on which said sections are supported for relativ adjustment, and a rotary eccentric device operatively associated with said sections and operable to adjust one relatively to the other while they remain in cooperative relationship to each other.

13. A die structure for use in ornamenting portions of shoe uppers comprising a perforating section provided with a line of tubes for ornamenting the marginal portion of a work piece, another section provided with a knife extending along and closely beside said line of perforating tubes, a base on which said sections are supported in cooperative relationship to each other and for relative adjustment, and means operable on one of said sections to adjust it to change the spacing between said knife and said row of perforating tubes, said means including a stud mounted to turn around its own axis and having an eccentric portion thereon, one of said sections having a slot therein to receive said eccentric portion.

14. A die structure for use in ornamenting .portions of shoe uppers comprising a perforating section provided with a line of tubes for ornamenting the marginal portion of a work piece, another section provided with a knife extending along and closely beside said line of perforating tubes, a base on which said sections are supported in .cooperative relationship to each other and for relative adjustment, means operable on one of said sections to adjust it to change the spacing between said knife and said row of perforating tubes, said means including an upright stud mounted to rotate about its own axis and having an eccentric thereon, one of said sections having a slot therein to receive said eccentric, and means for locking said stud in various positions of rotary adjustment.

15. A die structure according to preceding claim 13, including means between said base and said stud and positioned closely beside said stud and cooperating therewith to lock the stud in any one of a plurality of positions Otf adjustment.

16. A die structure according to preceding claim 13, in combination with a bushing mounted in a stationary position on said base and supporting said stud for its rotative movement, a spring holding said stud in said bushing, the bushing having serrations cooperating with a part on said stud to lock the stud in any one of a plurality of adjusted positions, said adjusting means, including said stud, bushing and spring, forming a unit adapted to be removably positioned in said die structure.

17. A die structure for use in ornamenting portions of shoe uppers comprising a perforating section provided with a line of tubes for ornamenting the marginal portion of a work piece, another section provided with a knife extending along and closely beside said line of perforating tubes, a base on which said sections are supported with one overlapped upon the other, pin and slot connections between said sections guiding them for relative adjusting movement, and a rotary eccentric device connecting said sections together and operable to adjust one relatively to the other.

18. A die structure for use in ornamenting portions of shoe uppers comprising a perforating section provided with a line of tubes for ornamenting the marginal portion of a work piece, another section provided With a knife extending along and closely beside said line of perforating tubes, a base on which said sections are supported with one overlapped upon the other, pin and slot connections between said sections guiding them for relative adjusting movement, a rotary eccentric device connecting said sections together and operable to adjust one relatively to the other, and locking means cooperating with said device to hold it in any one of a series of positions of rotary adjustment.

19. A die structure for use in ornamenting portions of shoe uppers comprising a perforating section provided with a line of tubes for ornamenting the marginal portion of a work piece, another section provided with a knife extending along and closely beside said line of perforating tubes, a base on which said sections are supported with one overlapped upon the other, a rotary device connecting said sections and operable to adjust one relatively to the other, said device including a rotary stud, and means for locking said stud in various positions of rotary adjustment including a radially grooved plate element, a cooperatively ribbed element to engage said grooves, and a spring for pressing said elements together.

CHESTERTON S. KNIGHT. 

